Introduction
In the United States, a patient spends an average of 5 days at a hospital. With more than 35 million hospital admissions each year, considering the space a patient stays in is crucial for designers and healthcare staff alike.
To test design and architectural theories in these spaces, doctors and professors at The Ohio State University College of Medicine decided to research the most important elements of hospital room design to patients and caregivers. Respondents were patients that visited a hospital in the last 12 months with a minimum of a three-day hospital stay.
Of the suggestions, the top answer was privacy.
Patients felt the need to have control of their privacy, omitting the feeling of being “on-display” to people and staff in the hallway by having a hospital privacy curtain to prevent wanderers from seeing them being cared for or using the bathroom. This study further demonstrates the responsibility hospital privacy curtains have of benefiting both staff and patients.
Associate Professor at the University and lead author of the study, Dr. Emily Patterson, remarked: “Some of the findings are inexpensive and possible to incorporate, even without changing architectural design. Each change can improve the patient and family experience by reducing unnecessary stress and anxiety and enhancing the healing process.”
Meeting patient needs in hospital room design can even improve responses on a majority of questions on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey.
For example, Shield by Panaz® fabrics at Inpro prohibit the growth of mold and mildew, are liquid-repellent and highly resistant to most stains, making them ideal for cubicle curtains and shower curtains in hospitals.
Because they are easy to wipe down in place and don’t require special detergents, Shield fabrics may help cut down on costs by reducing the need to take them down as frequently for routine laundering. Plus, they come in over 20 patterns and 100 colors, making it easy for you to coordinate with the rest of your interiors.
Alternatively, for hospitals looking to meet Practice Greenhealth-Healthier Hospitals criteria, Shield-HH is manufactured without antimicrobial properties but is still made water-repellent and stain-resistant.
Facilities also looking to save time have chosen EZE-Swap® Cubicle Curtains. This is a snap panel system that allows you to quickly change out cubicle curtains without needing to take the entire curtain off the track. You can also standardize with one panel size for your entire facility without having to dig through maintenance stock to figure out where it belongs. Just grab it, snap it and go!
Healthcare facilities can experience quicker patient room turn-over with less time taking down curtains for laundering, giving more time to provide exceptional care to patients.
Aside from the performance, the curtains also serve an aesthetic purpose as well with Inpro’s custom print program. Whether adding nature-inspired designs for a rehabilitation facility or animals and bright shapes and colors for a pediatric hospital, Inpro’s Custom Print Program allows designers to choose custom patterns or images for cubicle curtains that match the hospital’s brand or aesthetic, all in efforts to provide better experiences for patients.
When you’re planning your next project’s rooms for patients, consider working with products that perform as well as they make a difference. Patients want privacy, but that privacy doesn’t need to look bland or make their stay uncomfortable. Choose products that work for patients and staff alike.
To learn more about Shield fabrics and the Custom Print Program, view our brochure here.